Field Identification of the 50 Most Common Plant Families in Temperate Regions
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Field identification of the 50 most common plant families in temperate regions (including agricultural, horticultural, and wild species) by Lena Struwe [email protected] © 2016, All rights reserved. Note: Listed characteristics are the most common characteristics; there might be exceptions in rare or tropical species. This compendium is available for free download without cost for non- commercial uses at http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~struwe/. The author welcomes updates and corrections. 1 Overall phylogeny – living land plants Bryophytes Mosses, liverworts, hornworts Lycophytes Clubmosses, etc. Ferns and Fern Allies Ferns, horsetails, moonworts, etc. Gymnosperms Conifers, pines, cycads and cedars, etc. Magnoliids Monocots Fabids Ranunculales Rosids Malvids Caryophyllales Ericales Lamiids The treatment for flowering plants follows the APG IV (2016) Campanulids classification. Not all branches are shown. © Lena Struwe 2016, All rights reserved. 2 Included families (alphabetical list): Amaranthaceae Geraniaceae Amaryllidaceae Iridaceae Anacardiaceae Juglandaceae Apiaceae Juncaceae Apocynaceae Lamiaceae Araceae Lauraceae Araliaceae Liliaceae Asphodelaceae Magnoliaceae Asteraceae Malvaceae Betulaceae Moraceae Boraginaceae Myrtaceae Brassicaceae Oleaceae Bromeliaceae Orchidaceae Cactaceae Orobanchaceae Campanulaceae Pinaceae Caprifoliaceae Plantaginaceae Caryophyllaceae Poaceae Convolvulaceae Polygonaceae Cucurbitaceae Ranunculaceae Cupressaceae Rosaceae Cyperaceae Rubiaceae Equisetaceae Rutaceae Ericaceae Salicaceae Euphorbiaceae Scrophulariaceae Fabaceae Solanaceae Fagaceae Vitaceae 3 Included families (taxonomic list): FERNS AND FERN ALLIES Fagales: Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Equisetaceae Juglandaceae Geraniales: Geraniaceae GYMNOSPERMS Malpighiales: Euphorbiaceae, Cupressaceae, Pinaceae Salicaceae Malvales: Malvaceae ANGIOSPERMS Myrtales: Myrtaceae Magnoliids Rosales: Moraceae, Rosaceae Laurales: Lauraceae Sapindales: Anacardiaceae, Rutaceae Magnoliales: Magnoliaceae Vitales: Vitaceae Monocots Eudicots: Asterids Alismatales: Araceae Apiales: Apiaceae, Araliaceae Asparagales: Amaryllidaceae, Asterales: Asteraceae, Campanulaceae Asphodelaceae, Iridaceae, Boraginales: Boraginaceae Orchidaceae Dipsacales: Caprifoliaceae Liliales: Liliaceae Ericales: Ericaceae Poales: Cyperaceae, Juncaceae, Gentianales: Apocynaceae, Rubiaceae Poaceae Lamiales: Lamiaceae, Oleaceae, Orobanchaceae, Plantaginaceae, Eudicots Scrophulariaceae Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae, Solanales: Convolvulaceae, Solanaceae Caryophyllaceae, Polygonaceae Ranuncululales: Ranunculaceae Eudicots: Rosids Brassicales: Brassicaceae Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae Fabales: Fabaceae 4 Amaranthaceae s. lat. (incl. Chenopodiaceae) B AMARANTH FAMILY Herbs or shrubs (rarely trees or vines), often reddish, many salt-loving plants (halophytes) Stems often succulent, and/or jointed Leaves alternate, simple (A) No stipules A Flowers small, actinomorphic (B) Sepals usually 3-5, free or fused basally, surrounding the fruit (C) Petals absent Stamens as many as sepals, positioned on the inside of each sepal Chenopodium Ovary superior or half-inferior, 1-3 fused carpels, one locule and D one ovule, basal placentation Fruit a berry, capsule, or nutlet C Seeds strongly curved (D) Note: Chenopodiaceae is now included in Amaranthaceae. Examples: beet (Beta), amaranth, quinoa (Amaranthus), lamb’s quarters (Chenopodium), spinach (Spinacia), cock’s comb (Celosia). © Lena Struwe 2016, All rights reserved. Amaranthaceae: Caryophyllales: Eudicots 5 Amaryllidaceae C AMARYLLIS & ONION FAMILY D Biennial or perennial herbs (monocots) with bulb (A) at base Simple, narrow leaves in basal rosette (B), often only in two directions (2-ranked) B Inflorescence a terminal umbel (C), sometimes with bulblets on a leafless stem Tepals 6, anthers 6 A Hypanthium (fused tepals and base of stamens) often present (not in Allium) Ovary superior (D) or inferior, 3-carpellate E Fruit a capsule Allium Seeds many, hard, black (covered with phytomelans) Onion-like smell in Allium Note: Alliaceae is now included in Amaryllidaceae . © Lena Struwe 2016, All rights reserved. Amaryllidaceae: Asparagales: Monocots 6 Amaryllidaceae AMARYLLIS & ONION FAMILY Galanthus Narcissus Examples: amaryllis (Hippeastrum), snowdrop (Galanthus), belladonna-lily (Amaryllis), spider lily (Lycoris, Hymenocallis), daffodil (Narcissus), clivia (Clivia), swamp lily (Crinum),.spring snowflake (Leucojum), Aztec lily (Sprekelia), zephyr lily (Zephyranthes), garlic, onion, leek, chives (Allium). © Lena Struwe 2016, All rights reserved. Amaryllidaceae: Asparagales: Monocots 7 Anacardiaceae CASHEW & POISON IVY FAMILY Trees, shrub, lianas, or perennial herbs With resin ducts and laticifers (sap often toxic) A Often pinnately compound leaves (A) Flowers 5-merous, small, with nectary disc (B) Stamens 5 or 10 (B) One ovule per carpel, 1-5 carpels in a fruit Fruit a drupe B Toxicodendron Examples: cashew (Anacardium), sumac (Rhus), poison ivy and poison oak (Toxicodendron), pistachio (Pistacia), mango (Mangifera), pink peppercorn tree (Schinus). © Lena Struwe 2016, All rights reserved. Anacardiaceae: Sapindales: Malvids: Rosids: Eudicots 8 Apiaceae D CARROT FAMILY herbaceous Aromatic, some very poisonous (oils, resins) Stems hollow (A) Leaves alternate, often B dissected or lobed (B), pinnate venation Leaf petiole broadened with sheath (C) surrounding stem or base of leaf Flowers arranged in double umbels (D); small, white or yellow, many C Petals 5, not fused, sepals reduced or absent E Fruit is a dry fruit that divides into 2 parts (E, schizocarp) A Myrrhis Notes: Apiaceae sometimes includes Araliaceae. The characters listed here only work well for the temperate herbaceous Apiaceae. Examples: parsley (Petroselinum), dill (Anethum), poison hemlock (Conium), cilantro (Coriandrum), celery (Apium), Queen Anne’s lace/carrot (Daucus), caraway (Carum), cumin (Cuminum), fennel (Foeniculum). © Lena Struwe 2016, All rights reserved. Apiaceae: Apiales: Campanulids: Asterids: Eudicots 9 Apocynaceae C MILKWEED & DOGBANE FAMILY Leaves opposite, simple (A), pinnate venation Leaf margin smooth (A) Stipules absent (A) B Latex (milky sap) in all D branches and leaves Sepals 5, Petals 5, sometimes fused Ovary superior Anthers often fused, and A sometimes fused with style head to a gynostegium (B), Vincetoxicum pollen in pollinia (C) in some species Fruit usually with 2 separate carpels, developing into 1-2 dry capsular parts or berries Seeds often with tufts of hairs at one end (D) Note: Asclepiadaceae is now included in Apocynaceae. Examples: dogbane (Apocynum), milkweed (Asclepias), rosy/Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus), vinca (Vinca), oleander (Nerium), frangipani (Plumeria), hoya (Hoya), bluestar (Amsonia), mandevilla (Mandevilla). © Lena Struwe 2016, All rights reserved. Apocynaceae: Gentianales: Lamiids: Asterids: Eudicots 10 Araceae C AROID B FAMILY Shrubs, vines, or herbs, sometimes aquatic; often fleshy Rhizomes (A), corms, tubers common Leaves simple, with reticulate or parallel venation (B) E Inflorescence a terminal spadix of tiny flowers, subtended by a colored leaf/bract (spathe) (C) Flowers sometimes unisexual, highly reduced, sessile (D) Fruits usually berries (E) A Calla D Note: Lemnaceae is now included in the Araceae. Examples: taro (Colocasia), anthurium (Anthirium), arum (Amorphophallus and other genera), elephant’s ear (Caladium), dumb cane (Dieffenbachia), duckweeds (Lemna, Wolffia), and many cultivated plants (Monstera, Philodendron, Spathiphyllum). © Lena Struwe 2016, All rights reserved. Araceae: Alismatales: Monocots 11 Araliaceae B GINSENG FAMILY Trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs. Leaves alternate, simple (A), palmate, or pinnate (often divided or lobed) Flowers arranged in terminal umbels(B), heads, or panicle; small, white or yellow, many (B) D Petals 5, not fused, sepals reduced or absent ( C) Fruit a berry (D), drupe or dry fruit A C Examples: English Ivy (Hedera), ginseng (Panax), umbrella tree (Schefflera), aralia (Aralia). © Lena Struwe 2016, All rights reserved. Araliaceae: Apiales: Campanulids: Asterids: Eudicots 12 Asphodelaceae ALOE FAMILY Herbs, shrubs, rarely trees Succulents, especially leaves Leaves simple, alternate, parallel-veined, often with spiny or dentate margin (A) Inflorescence a raceme or panicle Flowers actinomorphic or zygomorphic Tepals 3+3, sometimes fused A Stamens 6 Ovary superior, 3 fused carpels, 3 locules, axile placentation (B) Aloe B Fruit a capsule Seed with an aril Note: Many of these genera were previously placed in Liliaceae. Examples: aloe (Aloe), haworthia (Haworthia), asphodel (Asphodelus), red hot poker (Kniphofia). © Lena Struwe 2016, All rights reserved. Asphodelaceae: Asparagales: Monocots 13 Asteraceae C ASTER & SUNFLOWER FAMILY Herbaceous usually Leaves variable, with pinnate venation Inflorescence a head (capitulum, A) with many flowers, with involucral bracts D surrounding it (B) Flowers small, either tubular (C) A or tongue-shaped (ligulate) Sepals absent Petals fused, usually with 5 small lobes (C) Anthers fused into a ring B around style Artemisia Ovary inferior Fruit a dry nut (achene, D), often with hairs on top (pappus) Examples: Echinacea (Echinacea), dandelion (Taraxacum), burdock (Arctium), mugwort, wormwood (Artemisia), chrysanthemum (Dendranthema), ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum), asters (Aster, etc.), thistles (Cirsium, Carduus), sunflower (Helianthus), artichoke (Cynara), ragwort, groundsel (Senecio), knapweed (Centaurea),